Auditorium-seat.



B. WILSON.

AUDITORIUM SEAT.

APPLIOATION funn JAN. 21, 1909.

Patented Oct. 19,1909.

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AUDITORIUM SEAT.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 21, 1909. 937,1 31 Patented Oct. 19,1909.

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AUDITORIUM-SEAT.

Specification of Letters atent.

Patented Oct. 19, 1909.

Application led January 21, 1909. Serial No. 473,600.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, Bniv'roN` `WILsoN, a

` citizen of the United States, residing in Cambridge City, in the countyof I'Vayne and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Auditoritmi-Seats, of which the following is a full, clear, and accurate specification, being such as will enable others to make and use the same with exactitude.

The object of my invention, broadly speaking, is to provide seats for use in auditoriums or the like where the seats are to remain in a relatively fixed position and arranged in rows, and at same time allowing the seats to be folded and unfolded independent of each other and yallowing for a comparatively wide passageway between the rows of seats. i

In carrying out the principles of my invention in a practical manner I employ folding chairs similar to the chair shown in Letters Patent No. 583,342, and substantially as shown in the drawings forming a part of this specification. Heretofore folding chairs of this character have only been used singly and allowed to be loose upon the floor for the reason that no practical means had been devised for securing the chairs to the floor and at same time allowing them to be opened and closed, therefore to overcome this difliculty is the primal object of this present invention.

Other minor objects and particular advantages of my invention will present themselves in the course of the following description, and that which is new and useful will be correlated in the appended claims.

In order that my invention may be more fully understood reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which,-

Figure l is a perspective view of a plurality of chairs equipped with my invention. Fig. 2 is an isometrical view of the brace, which is the essential element of this invention. Fig. 3 is an end view showing the seat open or unfolded. Fig. 4 is the same as Fig. 3, except that the seat is shown closed or folded. Fig. 5 is a detail view showing one of the shoes. Fig. 6 is a detail longitudinal section of the lower portion of the brace shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a perspective detail view of the rivet used to connect the two members 0f said brace. And Fig. 8 is a cross section taken throughthe body portion of the rivet used in connection with the brace.

Similar indices denote like parts throughout the several views.

In connection with said drawings I will now take up a description of the invention and will refer to the severalparts as briefly and as comprehensively as I may.

In carrying out my invention I employ a plurality-of folding chairs as for instance the chairs A, B and C, which are of a construction identical with each other, in which the standards for the back of the chair eX- tend downward and forward forming the front feet a, b and c, respectively. The seats of the chairs are hinged to the back and are adapted to be turned up parallel therewith. The upper ends of the cross legs are pivoted to the sides of the seat and then extend back and downward forming the rear feet a', b and c', respectively. It will be evident that my invention may be successfully employed with only one of such chairs, but I prefer to form the chairs in multiple, and for this purpose I connect each row of chairs by means of the two bars l and 2. The bar 1 is gained in and secured by bolts to the rear edges of the back standards at a point slightly below the seat, and the bar 2 is likewise attached to the front edge of said standards at a point lower than the first bar, substantially as indicated in F ig. l. It is apparent that any number of Achairs may be thus connected together, they being spaced the desired distance apart. The means for connecting the chairs, thus formed, to the floor, is substantially as follows: The numeral 3 denotes the main member of the brace, the upper end portion of which is flattened laterally and bent at an angle forming the part 32L which is provided with bolt apertures as indicated Iin Fig. 2 to provide means for its attachment to the rear face of the bar l as shown. The opposite end portion of the member 3 is flattened longitudinally forming the part 3D and this is provided with a slot 3 formed longitudinally thereof. The member 4, of the brace, is of comparatively short length, but it is of same width as the member 3. Through one end portion of the member l is formed the screw aperture 4a and through the o posite end portion is formed an aperture or the rivet 5, hereinafter referred to. The member 4L is bent near its center at an obtuse angle. Said rivet 5 is provided with a head of such size as not to pass through the slot 3G, while the body thereof is adapted to slide in said slot, and the end opposite the head is adapted to pass through said second named aperture in the member 4, projecting back and riveted downy on the back of the member e, as indicated in Fig. 6. That portion of the shank, of said rivet, which passes through the slot 3 is formed square, or ob-k long in cross section thereby providing two parallel sides which may engage the sides ofv the slot 3c to retain the member 4 4in alinement with the member 3 yet free' to move longitudinally and independently thereof.

Each of the front feet of the chairs should be provided with a shoe, as the shoe 6 shown in Fig. 5. These shoes are formed to correspond with and fit over the feet of the chairs, and having means whereby the shoes may be secured to the floor by screws or otherwise. The feet a, b and c are free to move in and out o'f said shoes, but in practice they will at no time be removed therefrom.

In practice the chairs are arranged upon the floor as desired, the brace or braces are then attached to the bar l, near the center of the two end chairs, if more than one brace be used, and extend back and downward to the floor where they are secured by screws or the like inserted through the apertures 4a.

' Each of the feet a, b and c is thenV iiicased by one of the shoes 6 which are also secured to the floor, and this completes the attachment of the seats in position. It is evident that a single chair may be secured in like manner, or any number of chairs may be connected together similar to that shown in Fig. l.

www' From the above it is apparent that the seats may be folded or unfolded as desired, as the movements of the rivet 5 in the slots 3 Vand the movements of the feet in the shoes 6 are such as to allow the required flexibility to insure the successful operations.

I have also found inpractice that only one of said braces is really necessary for each row of chairs, that is where the chairs are rsecured together substantially as shown in Fig. l, in which instance the brace should be located midway of the row of chairs.

I desire that it be understood that various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

Having now fully shown and described the best means for the construction of my invention to me known at this time, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patento`f the United States, is-

l. A folding chair having means for attachment to a ioor, said means including a rear extensible brace, and shoes for' the front feet of the chair, the feet being free to move in said shoes.

2. A- brace for connecting folding chairs to a floor, said brace having means foi' its attachment to a chair, means for its attachment to a iioor, and means whereby it may have a limited longitudinal movement after being secuied in position.

3. Means for connecting folding chairs to a. iloor comprising a brace having a limited longitudinal movement within itself. and shoes in which the front feet of the chair may operate.

4. A plurality of folding chairs, means for connecting the chairs together laterally, braces at the rear for connecting the chairsl to a` iioor, said braces being` provided with means for allowing a limited longitudinal movement within themselves.

5. A plurality7 of foldingwhairs or the like, bars connecting the chairs together. braces extending downward and rearward to the floor from one of said bars, and means by which the braces may have a limited longitudinal movement after being secured in position.

6. A plurality of folding chairs, bars con nectiiig the chairs together, a brace extendT ing downward and to the rear from one of said bars with means for securing it to a floor, means whereby said brace may at all times have a limited longitudinal movement to vary its length, and means for retaining the front feet of the chairs in position.

7. A brace for connecting chairs to a tloor, said brace comprising two members slidably connected together for limited longitudinal movements with relation to each other, and means for retaining said members in alinenieiit with each other;

8. A brace for connecting chairs to a Hoor, said brace comprising a main member having one end thereof adapted for attachment to a chair, a second member having one end thereof adapted for attachment to a licor, means for slidably connecting the other ends of said members together whereby they may have a limited longitudinal movement with relation to each other, and means whereby said members are at all times retained in alinement with each other.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my naine to this specification iii the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BENTON IVILSON. Titnesses H. I-I. BRYAN, G. A. RoU'rH. 

